"It sounds crazy to say, in light of the visionary epic fantasies he has created, but surely he could choose more creatively ambitious projects than this. Tolkien seems to have created the idealised past of Middle Earth in order to escape a confusing present. It's a shame to see Jackson doing the same."

An interesting take. Imagine if Tolkien had kept returning to ME or created a sequel which transpired to be more lengthy than originally planned. Why, oh why didnt he take a crack at a crime-fiction instead of more hobbits I hear the world cry.....